Let’s Check In Podcast

What happens when the person you’ve become no longer quite matches the way you show up in the world?
In this episode of the Let’s Check In Podcast, Suzie McErvale talks with Grace Lam — Fashion Stylist and Podcaster, Former Fashion Editor, Vogue China, creative consultant and women’s health advocate, about style, confidence, menopause and the uncertainty that comes with changing through midlife.
Grace believes style isn’t about following trends or hiding the parts of ourselves that have changed. It’s about finding ways to express who we are now and having the confidence to own it.
Grace shares her own experience of perimenopause, including the brain fog and insomnia that led her to discover just how little the fashion industry was talking about menopause. Through Me Not Pause, she is helping challenge the stigma around menopause and changing perceptions of what women in midlife are supposed to look like.
They also explore:
* Why style comes from the soul, rather than simply following fashion
* How what we wear can influence our confidence and even our mood
* Finding your style again when your body or identity changes
* Why you don’t need a whole new wardrobe to reinvent yourself
* Using small changes and accessories to step outside your comfort zone * What Grace learned from her years at Vogue China
* Why trying something new can help us build resilience
* The importance of challenging the assumptions we have about ourselves
* Grace’s work to open up conversations around menopause and transgender experiences
* And the question that may be worth asking at any stage of life: Who do I want to become?
Above all, this is a conversation about owning who you are, refusing to disappear as you change, and giving yourself permission to have a little more fun along the way.
As Grace puts it: “They’re not you. Period.”
Thanks for checking in. 💛
Competition Details Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they're giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean for a retail, hospitality or commercial space. To enter, fill out this form, https://offer.pulitogroup.com.au/form... follow @pulito_group on Instagram, like the competition post and comment by tagging a business owner or someone opening or refreshing a commercial space.
🎙️ About the Let's Check In Podcast The Let's Check In Podcast explores the uncertain middle of modern life through candid conversations, expert insights and practical tools for navigating change, growth and wellbeing.
Subscribe for new episodes and conversations that help make sense of life's challenges, opportunities and everything in between.
Chapters
00:00 — Meet Grace Lam
01:39 — How style can change your confidence
01:40 — Adelaide Colour Analysis 03:00 — Fashion vs. style: dressing from the soul
03:38 — Grace’s perimenopause journey
05:28 — Why women struggle to dress during midlife
06:09 — Pulito Group Sponsor Offer 07:11 — What Vogue China taught Grace about identity
09:37 — Styling without breaking the budget
11:32 — How what you wear can create boundaries
13:55 — When the outside doesn’t match how you feel
15:02 — Finding your own style as you change
16:20 — Helping women rediscover their style
18:18 — Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
19:29 — Grace Lam Chats and building resilience
21:10 — What Tokyo taught Grace about fashion
22:29 — Learning through Me Not Pause
25:52 — Finding purpose at 53
26:37 — Authenticity, confidence and owning your style
27:00 — Why trying something new matters
28:36 — Changing the way we see menopause
30:45 — Who do you want to become?
32:17 — Living with uncertainty and focusing on what you can control
33:14 — “They’re not you. Period.”
34:02 — Suzie’s final thoughts
34:56 — Thanks for checking in

What if the hardest battles in life are the ones no one else can see?
From childhood OCD and intrusive thoughts to motherhood, identity, self-compassion and raising a neurodivergent family, Penny Moodie shares an honest and deeply moving conversation about what it means to live with uncertainty.
Best known as the author of The Joy Thief, mental health advocate and Co-host of @ItsNotWhatYouThinkPodcast , Penny explains why OCD is so often misunderstood, how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy changed her life, and why compassion, not perfection, is often the key to healing.
The conversation also explores the invisible identity shift that many parents experience, the challenges of raising neurodivergent children, and why modelling emotional regulation matters more than trying to be the “perfect” parent.
Whether you live with OCD, love someone who does, or simply want to understand yourself and others with greater compassion, this episode offers practical insight and genuine hope.
In this episode you’ll discover:
• What OCD really feels like beyond common stereotypes
• Why uncertainty fuels anxiety - and how to respond differently
• How self-compassion can interrupt shame
• The identity challenges of becoming a stay-at-home parent
• Lessons from raising a neurodivergent family
• Why modelling behaviour is more powerful than giving advice
• Balancing openness with protecting children’s privacy
If this conversation resonates with you, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who might need to hear it.
Competition Details
Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they’re giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean.
To enter, visit @pulito_group on Instagram, complete the form via the link in bio, follow @pulito_group, like the competition post, and tag a business owner, operator or decision-maker in the comments.
About the Let's Check In Podcast
Let's Check In Podcast explores the uncertain middle of modern life through candid conversations, expert insights and practical tools for navigating change, growth and wellbeing. Subscribe for new episodes and conversations that help make sense of life's challenges, opportunities and everything in between.
00:00 Parenting Changed Me First
00:30 Introduction 02:53 When OCD First Appeared
06:33 Learning To Live With Uncertainty
09:13 Pulito Group Sponsor Offer 10:15 The Biggest Misconceptions About OCD
14:15 Why Self-Compassion Matters
15:51 Losing Yourself In Parenthood
20:00 Your Children Become Your Greatest Teachers
22:30 Raising Neurodivergent Kids With Compassion
25:28 Family Diagnoses & Rediscovery
25:50 Hugh's Diagnosis
26:35 Why Penny Started It's Not What You Think Podcast
28:15 Breaking Shame, Protecting Privacy
31:06 Suzie's Reflections

Healthy living shouldn't feel out of reach.
In this episode of the Lets Check In Podcast, Suzie sits down with naturopath, health educator and founder of The Staple Store, Catie Gett, for a refreshing conversation about what real health looks like when life feels busy, expensive and overwhelming.
Catie shares how her journey shifted from aspirational wellness to making healthy eating practical, affordable and achievable in everyday life. Together they explore food insecurity, decision fatigue, nervous system regulation, motherhood, burnout and why the simplest habits are often the most powerful.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting health advice or struggled to prioritise yourself, this conversation offers a grounded perspective on making health practical, affordable and achievable in everyday life.
In this episode we discuss:
• Why optimisation culture can make health feel impossible
• Food insecurity and the hidden cost of eating well
• Reducing the cognitive load around meals
• Why breakfast, rest and simple food matter more than supplements
• Nervous system regulation and everyday habits that create safety
• The importance of joy, connection and community
• Motherhood, burnout and learning to care for yourself
• Building a healthier relationship with food without shame
Connect with Catie
📖 The Staple Store Cookbook Volume One
📱 @thestaplestore
📱 @catie_gett
Catie has generously offered Let's Check In Podcast listeners $10 off the digital cookbook using the code: LETSCHECKIN
Competition Details
Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they're giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean for a retail, hospitality or commercial space. To enter, fill out this form, follow @pulito_group on Instagram, like the competition post and comment by tagging a business owner or someone opening or refreshing a commercial space.
About the Let's Check In Podcast
The Let's Check Podcast explores the uncertain middle of modern life through candid conversations, expert insights and practical tools for navigating change, growth and wellbeing.
Subscribe for new episodes and conversations that help make sense of life's challenges, opportunities and everything in between.
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For free subscriber only content, sign up here.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Why There Are No Shortcuts to Health
00:00:31 Welcome
00:00:46 Meet Catie Gett
00:01:58 From Naturopath to The Staple Store
00:05:03 Leaving the Wellness Bubble
00:07:07 The Recipe That Changed Everything + and Caught Jennifer Garner’s Attention
00:08:29 Pulito Group Sponsor Message
00:09:31 Finding Her Real Mission
00:10:53 Reducing the Cognitive Load of Food
00:11:40 Why We Overcomplicate Health
00:13:14 Rest Is More Important Than Optimising
00:13:44 Pulito Group Sponsor Message: The Invisible Work Behind Exceptional Cleaning
00:14:47 Illness Changed Everything
00:16:06 Safety vs Danger Signals
00:17:40 How to Regulate Your Nervous System
00:19:28 Why Joy and Human Connection Matter
00:21:53 Simple Food with Dignity
00:23:01 Food Insecurity and Hidden Privilege
00:25:49 Looking Through an Intersectional Lens
00:27:42 Learning to Put Yourself First
00:29:38 Living with Uncertainty in Small Business
00:32:05 Catie's Final Thoughts
00:33:16 Suzie's Reflection

Behind every recognised brand is someone making difficult decisions long after everyone else has gone home.
From the outside, success can look effortless. Behind every brand are decisions, uncertainty, self-doubt and the responsibility of leading others while continuing to trust your own instincts.
In this episode of Let’s Check In Podcast, Suzie McErvale sits down with Deanna Depetro, Creative Director and Owner of Australian fashion label Mossman.
Rather than focusing on fashion trends, this conversation explores the emotional reality of leadership, creativity, perfectionism and uncertainty.
Together they discuss:
• The unseen pressure of leading a growing business
• Why creativity and responsibility can collide
• Learning to trust your intuition
• Building a resilient team culture
• Managing perfectionism without losing momentum
• Emotional regulation as a leader
• Why mistakes are part of growth
• Staying true to your values when the path isn’t clear
Whether you’re leading a business, raising a family, managing a team or navigating life’s unknowns, this conversation offers thoughtful insight into what it means to carry the vision while staying grounded in what matters. If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest conversations exploring uncertainty, resilience and personal growth.
Competition Details
Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they're giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean for a retail, hospitality or commercial space. To enter, fill out this form, follow @pulito_group on Instagram, like the competition post and comment by tagging a business owner or someone opening or refreshing a commercial space.
About the Let's Check In Podcast
The Let's Check Podcast explores the uncertain middle of modern life through candid conversations, expert insights and practical tools for navigating change, growth and wellbeing.
Subscribe for new episodes and conversations that help make sense of life's challenges, opportunities and everything in between.

In this episode of the Let’s Check In Podcast, Suzie McErvale sits down with Martin Heppell from The Resilience Project to explore identity, uncertainty, resilience and what happens when life doesn’t go the way you expected.
Martin shares stories from his childhood growing up in Borneo, his journey through elite football, the years he spent feeling lost after sport ended and the lessons that eventually helped him find purpose working with young people. Together they discuss:
• Why comparison can leave us feeling like we're falling behind
• The power of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness
• How growing up in Borneo shaped Martin’s outlook on life
• How to navigate uncertainty and anxiety
• Why feeling lost is often part of growth
• The importance of connection and vulnerability
• Raising resilient children in a complex world
• Learning to live according to your values, even when it’s difficult
This conversation is a reminder that resilience isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about continuing to show up, staying connected and trusting that the difficult seasons won’t last forever. If you’ve ever felt behind in life, uncertain about your direction, or caught comparing yourself to everyone around you, this episode is for you.
Competition Details
Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they're giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean for a retail, hospitality or commercial space. To enter, fill out this form, follow @pulito_group on Instagram, like the competition post and comment by tagging a business owner or someone opening or refreshing a commercial space.
About the Let's Check In Podcast
The Let's Check Podcast explores the uncertain middle of modern life through candid conversations, expert insights and practical tools for navigating change, growth and wellbeing.
Subscribe for new episodes and conversations that help make sense of life's challenges, opportunities and everything in between.